Which profession boasts the best work-life balance?

18 Nov 2016 • by Changeboard Team

A recent global survey has revealed that software developers feel they have the best work-life balance, while HR professionals and consultants feel they could have a better social life.

In a survey by salary-benchmarking site Emoulement.com, 1,360 professionals were asked about how they feel about their work-life balance.

Some 71% of software developers felt their balance was either ‘satisfactory’ or ‘great’. Project managers were most likely to be enthused by their life outside work, as 28% of respondents felt they had a ‘great’ work-life balance, despite a large number (38%) saying their work-life balance was ‘awful’.

Consultants were very negative, as 49% of respondents consider their work-life balance to be awful, with only 13% classifying it as ‘great’. HR professionals were also largely negative, with 42% saying their work-life balance was ‘awful’.

Breaking the data by country, France was generally positive, as 69% of respondents felt their balance was either ‘satisfactory’ or great. The UAE was the least satisfied country, as 56% felt their work-life balance was ‘awful’. Respondents from the UK were positive for the most part, as 62% of employees deemed their balance to be ‘satisfactory’ or ‘great’.

Some 9% more of women considered their work-life balance to be ‘awful’ when compared to men. Graduates were also generally negative, as 42% considered their work-life balance to be ‘awful’.

Alice Leguay co-founder and COO at Emoulement.com said: “While the term 'work-life balance' has been touted by large corporations for years, it has finally become a key factor choosing a career. Upcoming generation Y and Z are certainly expecting more flexibility, less face-time, and rather than having to account for half-day annual leave, attending school plays or meetups, expect to be trusted to do the job on their terms.

“In some industries, implementing such a shift in perception and practice is still a long way off as client demands in terms of reactivity and timeliness remain unchanged. However, employers understand that dissatisfaction with work-life balance is more and more likely to be a reason for quitting, and that higher pay struggles to compensate for time spent away from family and friends.'